Thursday

with Coheed and Cambria, Thrice

House of Blues, Orlando • November 13, 2003

Jen Lato

It’s no surprise that a show like this sold out. This is a dream lineup. I was very disappointed when I first heard that there were no more tickets, but only out of jealousy that I did not have one. Those feelings soon turned into joy for these bands and the current success that they are experiencing.

“thursday1”

I had first heard of Coheed and Cambria at the most recent Warped tour; while I was up in Virginia they were the talk of the town. My friend Roger dragged me over to the stage so I could understand all of the hype. So when I heard that they were opening for these two incredible bands, I was very much excited for them, but nervous about the crowd response that they would receive. Opening for bands such as Thrice and Thursday is an understandably difficult position, but I could not think of a more dynamic group to fill the spot. It’s difficult for me to list their set because I am not entirely familiar with their songs, but they do bring something different to the table and I’d suggest everyone at least give it a listen.

“thursday2”

Next up was Thrice, what I and many other alike had been holding our breath for. Their music is simply amazing and I sat and watched in awe. I can honestly say that this is one of the few bands that I’ve seen that fans wanted to hear new music from. They played a variety of songs, new and old, but received an overwhelming response for new songs from The Artist in the Ambulance. Teppei Teranishi, guitarist, makes it look so easy, and at times was rocking out so hard that his face looked as though it was morphing. It’s always great to see them live, for they are very sincere, humble boys who are thankful for everything.

“thrice”

I did not think that the crowd could intensify any more than they did for Thrice, but when Thursday appeared on stage, the audience erupted into a fire of energy. The singer, Geoff Rickly, gives off a great stage presence that the crowd seems to directly feed off. Their performance is remarkable, and they seem to get better and better. They played all the greats including songs from their September release War All the Time and “cross out the eyes” from Full Collapse. Geoff also spoke to the crowd about song meanings and the writing process. I was truly touched when he told a childhood story of a friend who was killed, and how he never got a chance to say goodbye. This is as real as it gets. I hope that everyone gets their tickets early next time; I’d hate to see you standing outside again.

Coheed and Cambria: http://www.coheedandcambria.com/ • Thrice: http://www.islandrecords.com/thrice/ • Thursday: http://www.islandrecords.com/thursday/ ◼